Earn Instant Credibility With These Three Tips

The MLM industry is all about building a strong base and working your way up from the foundation that you’ve set. Therefore, building lasting relationships with your customer base is better than attracting fleeting, one-time sales; your customers should feel like you value them and their input into your company. Since much of the MLM industry sales are based on word-of-mouth marketing, you want the “word” to be a good one, and once that word spreads, other people will take note and your list of prospects will grow. Be honest and upfront and gain instant credibility.

If you’re just starting out in the MLM industry, however, gaining credibility can seem like an uphill battle. You want to spread the word that you’re honest and trustworthy, but you don’t have the authority or the experience yet to get the ball rolling. Watch below as Derek Halpern of Social Triggers offers advice on three psychological tactics you can use to gain instant credibility with your customer base and your prospects.

Three Tactics for Instant Credibility

Be Honest

Derek offers three great tactics to use to gain the trust of your prospects when getting started in network marketing. If you want people to believe you use honest business practices, then you really need to be honest. The MLM industry is not about tricking people into buying what you’re selling. It’s not about getting the most sales, it’s about getting the best sales so your customers will return and urge others to put their faith in you and your company.

This brings us to our first guiding principle in gaining credibility, which is to openly argue against your own self interests. What does Derek mean by this? He means to be honest about who your product is for. Research shows that it’s easier for people to trust an argument if it’s clear that the person has nothing to gain, or even something to lose, by making that argument. Openly list who your product is not for, and those who you are targeting will see that you’re willing to turn down sales in an effort to be honest. Keep it honest and gain credibility with your base; target your niche market and increase sales with customers that will be happy with the product.

Be Exact

The second tip to gain credibility is to know your numbers. People believe in precision, they believe in exact statistics, not vague accounts or shots in the dark. If you offer up a rough estimate for your monthly sales, you risk giving off the impression that you’re exaggerating or even lying to inflate your self image. Exact numbers infer accuracy; don’t round off or estimate. Always have your numbers on hand; not only will your customers appreciate your knowledge of your own business, but they’ll also be able to fact check your stats at their convenience, which will also boost your credibility.

Prove It

When you make a claim, always have proof to back it up. You can use personal experience as proof, but also tested scientific proof or published statistics. As Derek says, this may seem obvious, but not everyone keeps tried and tested proof on hand at a moment’s notice. Be one step ahead of your prospects, offer proof to back up your claims without them having to ask.

What kind of proof can you provide? Statistics, testimonials, research, professional or media given accolades, and personal experience are all kinds of proof that you can offer to a potential customer. The more you are able to back up your claims, the more your customers will trust you.

Be Ready to Put These Tactics to Use

Always be prepared to put these tips to use. Know your target market and be ready to exclude certain niche groups that would not appreciate the product in order to gain the trust of those that would. Always have your exact numbers on hand, and make sure to back up any claim with proof. If you follow these three techniques, you’ll gain instant credibility with your customers and prospects.

J. Audrey Hoy is the CatalystMLM team’s resident wordsmith. With a master’s of fine arts degree from New York University, J. Audrey has served as an Adjunct Instructor of Creative Writing at NYU and she currently works as the Content Editor and contributor at CatalystMLM. Originally hailing from the Chicagoland area, J. Audrey has previously resided in Iowa City, Brooklyn and currently lives in Burlington, Vermont. She spends her free time reading novels, writing, exploring the Burlington area and enjoying the outdoors.